Going Under
Chapters (70)
- COVER PAGE
- ABOUT THE AUTHOR
- DEDICATION
- PROLOGUE
- PART I BIRTH
- ONE
- TWO
- THREE
- FOUR
- FIVE
- SIX
- SEVEN
- EIGHT
- NINE
- TEN
- ELEVEN
- TWELVE
- THIRTEEN
- FOURTEEN
- FIFTEEN
- PART II LIFE
- SIXTEEN
- SEVENTEEN
- EIGHTEEN
- NINETEEN
- TWENTY
- TWENTY-ONE
- TWENTY-TWO
- TWENTY-THREE
- TWENTY-FOUR
- TWENTY-FIVE
- TWENTY-SIX
- TWENTY-SEVEN
- TWENTY-EIGHT
- TWENTY-NINE
- THIRTY
- THIRTY-ONE
- THIRTY-TWO
- THIRTY-THREE
- THIRTY-FOUR
- PART III DEATH
- THIRTY-FIVE
- THIRTY-SIX
- THIRTY-SEVEN
- THIRTY-EIGHT
- THIRTY-NINE
- FORTY
- FORTY-ONE
- FORTY-TWO
- FORTY-THREE
- FORTY-FOUR
- FORTY-FIVE
- FORTY-SIX
- FORTY-SEVEN
- FORTY-EIGHT
- FORTY-NINE
- FIFTY
- FIFTY-ONE
- FIFTY-TWO
- FIFTY-THREE
- FIFTY-FOUR
- FIFTY-FIVE
- FIFTY-SIX
- FIFTY-SEVEN
- FIFTY-EIGHT
- FIFTY-NINE
- SIXTY
- EPILOGUE
- AUTHOR’S NOTE
- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
COVER PAGE
Praise for Going Under
‘A light book with heavy themes … the issues tackled in this novel are important and urgent.’
Books + Publishing
‘An alarming—albeit funny—glimpse into life beyond those white coats … a light, pacy read.’
Who Magazine
‘Anyone with first-hand knowledge of [Henry’s] subject will find this story true to life … There’s plenty to shock, but also black humour, camaraderie, sex, drugs and moments of poignancy wrested from a dehumanising culture.’
Sydney Morning Herald/The Age
‘When focused on hospital life, Henry’s experience and expertise shine through, illuminating the difficulties her characters—and her real-life colleagues—face.’
West Australian
‘A really good read … Steps are being taken to remedy the culture in teaching hospitals but, judging from this story, there is still a long way to go.’
Blue Wolf Reviews
A book that has a vital role to play, Going Under is a conversation starter, an astute and penetrating tale that strikes at the very heart of our country’s health care system.’
Mrs B’s Book Reviews
‘An important, timely book. The story gets smarter and darker as it moves on, but that only adds to the enjoyment. Here is someone who gets it [being a junior doctor], and has written about the experience clearly.’
Sam Still Reading
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sonia Henry is a doctor and a writer. Prior to her career in medicine she qualified and worked as a physiotherapist. She has been published on a variety of platforms, including the physician blog KevinMD, the Sydney Morning Herald, the Australian Medical Students Association magazine, and the ANZ Journal of Surgery. She enjoys wine, skiing, her friends and black humour (not necessarily in that order). She lives in Sydney. This is Sonia’s first novel.
DEDICATION
This book is for all the doctors who have ever felt lost or alone inside a system that should care for you better
Footfalls echo in the memory
Down the passage which we did not take
Towards the door we never opened
Into the rose-garden. My words echo
Thus, in your mind.
T.S. ELIOT, ‘FOUR QUARTETS’
PROLOGUE
prologue
Thirty-three years ago, Toby Henderson was working in the emergency department of a hospital on the outskirts of the city. With a grand total of thirteen months’ experience, he was the most senior doctor on the floor.
When the patient came through the doors, he didn’t look that sick. He was holding his left arm above his head and it was wrapped in a towel, but he was walking and talking, which is always a reassuring sign. But as he came closer, Toby noticed that his skin had the pale, sweaty sheen of someone about to collapse.